Germany could join other European countries and ban the fracking method of shale gas extraction, according to Germany’s Environment Minister Peter Altmaier.

­Altmaier says he wants a ban on fracking in all areas where
drinking water is protected, noting that a fracking ban is
nothing to be afraid of if it is recommended by some scientific
research, Welt am Sonntag reports. As the research hasn’t been
completed, it’s too early to put a veto on this natural gas
extraction technology, the politician stressed. Altmaier said he
would like to introduce legislation on fracking by September,
Reuters reports.

Induced hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracturing, commonly known
as fracking is a technique used to release petroleum and natural
gas by creating fractures in the rock with the help of a
pressurized fluid.

The practice was temporarily suspended in the United Kingdom
after it was linked to a series of earth tremors. It has also
been banned for environmental reasons in Bulgaria and France
which are estimated to have Europe’s largest reserves of shale
gas. Other countries are considering outlawing the method too.

Hydraulic fracturing has raised environmental concerns around the
world including Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand,
and Australia. In Canada it was temporarily suspended in the
Quebec province, pending an environmental review. In the US
fracking has been prohibited in the State of Vermont.

Environment Minister Altmaier says a new law is being prepared
that could prohibit shale gas extraction in areas with natural
supplies of drinking water. According to his words, other areas
of the country will also be checked for possible effects of
fracking on the environment. The biggest danger that can arise
from this practice concerns the use of special chemical liquids
to create the pressure, underground vibration and strong noise
that accompanies the process, says the Minister.

This German announcement comes at a time when his country is
planning on retire its nuclear power generators, a decision that
is bound to make gas “a bigger part of the energy mix”, energy
analyst Daniel Yergin to Bloomberg. “One consequence of Germany
turning off its nuclear plants is increased natural-gas use”,
underlined Yergin. These circumstances make the question of
drill-or-not-to-drill pressing.

Europe has an estimated 639 trillion cubic feet of shale gas,
according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Nevertheless, a great part of Europe’s gas lies under Poland,
France and Bulgaria. While the latter outlawed fracking
altogether, this technique of extraction may just be unprofitable
in the case of Poland, as was suggested by some Exxon Mobil
tests. Another problem is the population density as there is less
free space for drilling the ground rich in shale gas in Europe.